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4 SheetsSheet 1.

(No Model.)

P. O. LYNDE. APPARATUS FOR FASTENING ENVELOPES, BAGS, 650.

N0. 548,565. Patented 051:. 22, 1895.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2. P. 0. LYNDE,

APPARATUS FOR FASTENING ENVELOPES, BAGS, 8w.

Patented Oct. 22,1895.

(No Model) 'w 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. F. G. LYNDE. APPARATUS FOR FASTENING ENVELOPES, BAGS, &c. No. 548,565. Patented Oct. 22, 1895.

Wjhwm 1W ANDREW EGRLKAM. mmo-muawnsummmoc.

(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet '4. RULYNDE. APPARATUS FOR FASTENING ENVELOPES, BAGS, &c.

No. 548,565. Patented Oct. 22, 1895.

I .WiTNESSES: I v I mvawnfgfl Ew aGRAMMJMCTuUTNO WASHINGTMLDC,

UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

FREDERICK O. LYNDE, OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE HAROLD VVINTERBOTTOM, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR FASTENING ENVELOPES, BAGS, 800.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 548,565, dated October 22, 1895.

Application filed December 18, 1894. Serial No. 5321 51 (H m l-) To a Z-Z whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK CHARLES LYNDE, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Manchester, in

the county of Lancaster, England, have invented Improvements in Apparatus for Fastening Envelopes, Bags, or other Like Gontainers, and for other Similar Purposes, of which the following is a specification.

To My invention relates to the manufacture and use of improved apparatus for securing and detecting the unauthorized opening of envelopes, bags, and other like containers.

The principal objects of my invention are to enable envelopes, sample and other bags, and other like containers'to be used several times over, and to indicate whether such envelopes or containers have been opened, and also in some cases to indicate by whom they have been opened.

The invention is applicable to envelopes, preferably made of leather, cloth, or other suitable material, and to sample, pattern, and other bags or cases, and to other like contain- 2 5 ers or receptacles which are required to be opened and closed and used several times over; and for the sake of illustration I will here describe and illustrate the invention as applied to an envelope, and it will readily be understood, without further illustration, how the same apparatus can be applied to sample and other bags and to other like containers or receptacles.

Figure 1 on the annexed drawings represents the portion of the fastening which is attached to the body of the envelope or receptacle; and Fig. 2 the portion of the same which is attached to the flap, cover, or lid of the same. Fig. 3 is an envelope with my invention shown as applied thereto, the flap being open; and Fig. 4 shows the same when the flap is closed and secured. Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 8*, 9, and 10 are detachedviews hereinafter more particularly referred to; and Fig. 11 is a view 4 5 of an envelope fastened, secured, and labeled according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an envelope provided with my improvements, the flap and clasp being unclosed. Fig. 13 is a section through the clasp when closed.

Referring to Figs. 1, 12, and 13, a is a foundation-plate, preferably of stamped metal, formed with two semicircular or other suitably shaped raised portions or projections 12, between which is a groove or recess 0 for a purpose hereinafter mentioned. This piece is attached to the body of the envelope or container in such a way that the raised portions 1) project therefrom, the bottom of the groove or recess being about level with the face of the envelope. (See Fig. 3.)

Referring to Fig. 2, d is a plate in the form of a ring, or other convenient form, of such a size and so attached to the flap of the envelope by bending over the the spikes or dents, or otherwise, (see Fig. 3,) that when the flap is closed it will encircle the two raised portions or projections b and that the central bar 6, with which the ring (Z is provided, will pass into the groove or recess 0, and the parts I) and e will then present a level surface, or nearly so, the interlocking of the parts forming a fastening to hold the flap in its place. To secure this fastening from being opened without detection, and at the same time to allow 7 5 of the envelope being used several times over,

a gummed label, Fig. 5, or a Wafer, seal, or the like is stuck over the fastening in such a way that the parts 5 and e cannot be separated without tearing or defacing the label or destroying the wafer or seal, which will indicate that the envelope has been opened or that an attempt has been made to open the same.

By providing gummed labels or stamps with names or marks on them relating to or known by several people it would be easy to indicate (when desirable) by whom the label last put on was affixed.

It will be evident that the precise form of the two parts of the apparatus may be varied to a considerable extent Without in any way departing from the distinctive feature of my invention, which is that certain parts of. the fixed and movable portions of the fastening have flat surfaces and interlock, so as to 9 5 present a level or flush surface, or nearly so, upon which a gummed label, water, seal, or equivalent may be caused to adhere in such a way that the fastening can not be opened without destroying or defacing the said label, 10:: wafer, or seal. For example, the plates may be octagonal, as shown at Fig. 6, and there may be three projections b on one plate and two bars e on the other, or they may be made hexagonal with triangular projections, as shown at Fig. 7, or of any other convenient or desirable form, and two or more fastenings may be applied to the same envelope or container; or the plate attached to the flap or cover may be provided with a lever or bar only, as shown atf, Fig. 8, without the inclosing-ring. In some cases I prefer to make the bar 6 orf with spring sides and to make the grooves or recesses a slightly undercut or otherwise, so that the bar will spring or snap in and out, so that it has no tendency to open of itself.

Sometimes I hinge two bars g to the foundation-plate Ct or on the body of the envelope, which, when they are turned upon their hinges, can pass through two holes h in the flap as it is closed over. (See Fig. 8.) The bars are then folded down into the recess between the two projections 11, as shown, and secured by a label or seal, as before.

In order to prevent the frequent addressing of the envelope from defacing the same, I provide stiff paper or other labels 2', (see Fig. 9,) having near the bottom a small slit k, which is passed over a hook Z, fixed to the body of the envelope, (see Fig. 10, side view,) and a larger hole m near the top, which is passed over the raised portions or projections b before the flap is closed, (see Fig. 11,) or other simple means may be devised for attaching the outer end or sides of such renewable lable for addressing the envelope or other like containersuch, for example, as flaps, slits, or pockets, as indicated by the dotted lines on Fig. 11-or I may attach an ordinary label to the envelope by means of a string, tape. or the like.

I claim as my invention 1. In a fastening for envelopes, bags and the like, the combination of two parts adapted to be readily interlocked and unlocked from each other by simple super-position and press ure, the two parts having flat surfaces and together presenting an approximately level or flush surface when interlocked, with a gummed label, wafer or seal adapted to be secured on the said parts so that the two parts cannot be separated without destroying or defacing the said label or wafer, substantially as set forth.

2. An envelope, bag, or the like, provided with a fastening device consisting of two parts adapted to be readily interlocked and unlocked from each other, one of the said parts having raised portions and secured to the body of the envelope, the other part being secured to the flap or cover, the said envelope or bag being also provided with a hook whereby a detachable address label may be secured at one end over the hook and at the other end over the raised portions of the fastening on the body of the envelope, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRED. C. LYNDE. W'itnesses:

CHARLES A. DAVIES, J NO. HUGHES. 

